Reading:
Mark 10:35
Write:
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
Reflect:
First of all, I want to put this in a little more clear context. Just before this reading, Jesus was giving the third and final and most explicit prediction of his coming passion to his disciples. The “Sons of thunder”, a nickname Jesus gave to James and John, immediately seem to ask him for this favor. But Jesus begins to turn the table on them… immediately.
He asks them if they can drink the cup that he will drink and endure the baptism that he must endure. Notice that Jesus does not rebuke them for their… ambition. Instead he challenges them with the notion of the cup and his baptism. In the Old Testament a cup was often seen as a metaphor for what God has in store for someone. It could be a cup of blessing or a cup of wrath!
How would you describe the cup that Jesus took? In the Garden of Gethsemane he said “Father, let this cup pass from me!” It seems to me to be a blessing for us but wrath for Jesus, and for those who choose to follow him closely.
James was martyred very early in the life of the church. John was the only apostle who lived to a natural death.
As for his baptism, Jesus referred to his passion as a type of baptism. I will come back to the references to the cup and baptism in a moment. But I want to first recognize the response by James and John: “we can”. This was such a quick response that I need to question whether they understood what they were saying. They were saying they wanted to be on the right and the left of Jesus. But who was on the right and the left of Jesus when he was crucified? The two thieves. One of them reviled him while the other one asked for his mercy.
John stood at the foot of the cross. Seeing the thieves, did he remember his request to be at the right or left of Jesus? The right and the left of the king are places of honor. James and John knew that is what they were asking for. And when Jesus did not respond positively and directly to their request, our reading tells us that the other apostles were not too happy with James and John. This is probably because they thought they would be important people in the kingdom as well.
Now the book of Revelation tells us that the twelve apostles are important in the kingdom of God. They are in a position of great authority and honor, but they yield all of that to the Lamb who was slain.
Then, after all of this posturing by the twelve, and after the minor indignation by the ten, Jesus puts them all in their place by saying “it shall not be so among you.” And he finishes the story today by reminding them again of his impending death: “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” And he is always calling ALL of his disciples to that same service of abandoning our life for the sake of the gospel.
Apply:
Now I want to return to baptism and the cup. As I described earlier, both of these Jesus used to refer to his impending passion. But they are also references to the two primary sacraments: Baptism which brings us into the family of God, and the Eucharist which strengthens and renews us throughout our lives.
We so often think of these two sacraments with great joy. And we should! But I think it would be an unfortunate mistake to forget the reference Jesus gives them in our gospel today. They are the sacraments that lead us into the passion of Christ himself.
Families are happy to see their children baptized. And this is a great and glorious ceremony. St. Peter in his first letter says that baptism now saves us. And there is another line in Scripture that says that the angels rejoice when a soul is saved. So, as I enjoy telling people at baptism of their children, the child’s guardian angel is getting ready to throw a party in heaven for all the angels.
Many families plan big parties at the time of Baptism, and again at the time of First Communion. These are necessary parties! They celebrate the gift that God has given to us of new life and of a share in his eternal life. But never forget! Never forget the gospel reading of today that ties the cup with the suffering of Christ and baptism with the baptism of fire that he will endure on the cross.
We are called to rejoice in the gifts that God has given. But with every gift comes a responsibility. That responsibility is to accept the challenge that Jesus gave to James and John: “can you endure what I am about to endure?”
Throughout the history of Christianity Jesus continues to ask the same question to each of his disciples – to each of us. So I ask you, each of you, a question that has been asked of every life: can you endure what Christ sends you as a way to witness to the gift of life he has given you in baptism; can you let the Eucharist be the strength you need – as many saints have – to finish the race Christ has placed before you?
As our reading from Hebrews said today “let us hold fast to our confession.… let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” The grace of his mercy is in baptism, and the timely help comes to us through the Eucharist.
Pray/Praise:
So we pray. Lord Jesus, in the gospel today you issue a challenge to James and John. You have issued that challenge to everyone who would choose to wear your name. Throughout the centuries you have called the saints – and now you call us – to take up the cup of salvation and to endure the baptism of fire that is symbolized in the waters of baptism.
Help us to respond as James and John did when you asked them if they could take what you offered them. Help us to say, “we can.” Strengthen us to shout before the world the wonders of your mercy and love. Strengthen us to whisper to everyone we meet that together we can enter the glory of your kingdom as you promised the good thief from the cross. Amen.
Mark 10:35
Write:
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
Reflect:
First of all, I want to put this in a little more clear context. Just before this reading, Jesus was giving the third and final and most explicit prediction of his coming passion to his disciples. The “Sons of thunder”, a nickname Jesus gave to James and John, immediately seem to ask him for this favor. But Jesus begins to turn the table on them… immediately.
He asks them if they can drink the cup that he will drink and endure the baptism that he must endure. Notice that Jesus does not rebuke them for their… ambition. Instead he challenges them with the notion of the cup and his baptism. In the Old Testament a cup was often seen as a metaphor for what God has in store for someone. It could be a cup of blessing or a cup of wrath!
How would you describe the cup that Jesus took? In the Garden of Gethsemane he said “Father, let this cup pass from me!” It seems to me to be a blessing for us but wrath for Jesus, and for those who choose to follow him closely.
James was martyred very early in the life of the church. John was the only apostle who lived to a natural death.
As for his baptism, Jesus referred to his passion as a type of baptism. I will come back to the references to the cup and baptism in a moment. But I want to first recognize the response by James and John: “we can”. This was such a quick response that I need to question whether they understood what they were saying. They were saying they wanted to be on the right and the left of Jesus. But who was on the right and the left of Jesus when he was crucified? The two thieves. One of them reviled him while the other one asked for his mercy.
John stood at the foot of the cross. Seeing the thieves, did he remember his request to be at the right or left of Jesus? The right and the left of the king are places of honor. James and John knew that is what they were asking for. And when Jesus did not respond positively and directly to their request, our reading tells us that the other apostles were not too happy with James and John. This is probably because they thought they would be important people in the kingdom as well.
Now the book of Revelation tells us that the twelve apostles are important in the kingdom of God. They are in a position of great authority and honor, but they yield all of that to the Lamb who was slain.
Then, after all of this posturing by the twelve, and after the minor indignation by the ten, Jesus puts them all in their place by saying “it shall not be so among you.” And he finishes the story today by reminding them again of his impending death: “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” And he is always calling ALL of his disciples to that same service of abandoning our life for the sake of the gospel.
Apply:
Now I want to return to baptism and the cup. As I described earlier, both of these Jesus used to refer to his impending passion. But they are also references to the two primary sacraments: Baptism which brings us into the family of God, and the Eucharist which strengthens and renews us throughout our lives.
We so often think of these two sacraments with great joy. And we should! But I think it would be an unfortunate mistake to forget the reference Jesus gives them in our gospel today. They are the sacraments that lead us into the passion of Christ himself.
Families are happy to see their children baptized. And this is a great and glorious ceremony. St. Peter in his first letter says that baptism now saves us. And there is another line in Scripture that says that the angels rejoice when a soul is saved. So, as I enjoy telling people at baptism of their children, the child’s guardian angel is getting ready to throw a party in heaven for all the angels.
Many families plan big parties at the time of Baptism, and again at the time of First Communion. These are necessary parties! They celebrate the gift that God has given to us of new life and of a share in his eternal life. But never forget! Never forget the gospel reading of today that ties the cup with the suffering of Christ and baptism with the baptism of fire that he will endure on the cross.
We are called to rejoice in the gifts that God has given. But with every gift comes a responsibility. That responsibility is to accept the challenge that Jesus gave to James and John: “can you endure what I am about to endure?”
Throughout the history of Christianity Jesus continues to ask the same question to each of his disciples – to each of us. So I ask you, each of you, a question that has been asked of every life: can you endure what Christ sends you as a way to witness to the gift of life he has given you in baptism; can you let the Eucharist be the strength you need – as many saints have – to finish the race Christ has placed before you?
As our reading from Hebrews said today “let us hold fast to our confession.… let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” The grace of his mercy is in baptism, and the timely help comes to us through the Eucharist.
Pray/Praise:
So we pray. Lord Jesus, in the gospel today you issue a challenge to James and John. You have issued that challenge to everyone who would choose to wear your name. Throughout the centuries you have called the saints – and now you call us – to take up the cup of salvation and to endure the baptism of fire that is symbolized in the waters of baptism.
Help us to respond as James and John did when you asked them if they could take what you offered them. Help us to say, “we can.” Strengthen us to shout before the world the wonders of your mercy and love. Strengthen us to whisper to everyone we meet that together we can enter the glory of your kingdom as you promised the good thief from the cross. Amen.
